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 Baker
Bowl
Philadelphia,
PA
Home of the Philadelphia Phillies for several
decades the original ballpark opened in 1887. The first ballpark
built on the site in northern Philadelphia was known as National
League Park and Huntingdon Street Grounds. Built mainly of wood, the
Phillies christened the ballpark on April 30, 1887. It stood for
only eight
years as it burnt to the ground. A new
ballpark was reconstructed on the same site. Built of steel and
brick, the ballpark was known as the
Baker Bowl and became the first modern park. The Phillies first
game at the rebuilt ballpark was on May 2, 1895. A double decked
grandstand extended from first to third base and one level of seating
continued to both foul poles. Seating was also located in left
field. The clubhouse was located in centerfield and made up part of
the outfield wall. By 1910, the seating capacity was increased to
20,000 when the grandstand was double decked to the right field foul
pole. Throughout its existence, the Baker Bowl was known as
a cigar box because of its short dimensions. There was a 40 ft. wall
in right field because it was only 279ft to the right field foul
pole. Part of the
wall consisted of a scoreboard and in the Baker Bowl’s last
decade a huge Lifeboy advertisement was on the wall. It was 341 ft.
from homeplate to the left field foul pole and 408 ft. to
centerfield where the clubhouse was located. The main entrance of
Baker Bowl was an octagonal turret. By the 1930s the Baker Bowl
began to deteriorate. This along with that the ballpark never had
lights prompted the Phillies to move out following the 1938 season.
The next year they moved into Shibe Park with the
Philadelphia A's on the other side of Philadelphia. The ballpark
was used for other events after the Phillies moved but was
finally demolished in 1950.
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Baker Bowl
Facts and Figures |
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